Resource integration has become an important concept in marketing literature. However, little is known about the systemic nature of resource integration and the ways the activities of resource integrators are coordinated and adjusted to each other. Therefore, we claim that institutions are the coordinating link that have impact on value cocreation efforts and are the reference base for customers' value assessment. When conceptualizing the systemic nature of resource integration, we include the regulative, normative, and cognitive institutions and institutional logics. This article provides a framework and a structure for identifying and analyzing the influence of institutional logics on resource integration in service systems.

Toossi, and the anonymous practitioner informants. They also thank the three anonymous JM reviewers and associate editor for their helpful suggestions on previous versions of the manuscript.

Core to developing a general theory of markets, service-dominant (S-D) logic suggests that service is the fundamental basis of exchange (Vargo and Lusch, 2004). In turn, 'Service provision implies the ongoing combination of resources, through integration, and their application' (Vargo and Lusch, 2010: 4); hence the central role of resource integration as the means through which resource integrators (actors) co-create phenomenologically determined value. We identify five themes relevant to gaining a clearer understanding of the role of social and economic factors in resource integration. The themes and the broad relationships between them are conceptualized in Figure 1. Here we identify actors who possess appropriate resources which they are allowed and able to share, co-creating value using collaborative and integrative processes. Their evaluation of each experience occurs within the context of each specific engagement and provides continuous input into future collaborations. The resulting value may impact both the ability of actors to exercise agency and the processes involved in integrating resources. Resource integrators The modified foundational premise (FP9): 'All social and economic actors are resource integrators' (Vargo and Lusch, 2008) recognizes the role of multiple actors in networks. It follows that there is a need to better understand 'the commonalities of the activities of actors that constitute the

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Purpose – While researchers in other disciplines seek to determine the impact that humour has in personal interactions, studies of humour in service delivery are lacking. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether it is beneficial to deliberately use humour in service encounters. Design/methodology/approach – This paper provides a comprehensive review of humour research in multiple disciplines to assess the applicability of their key findings to the service domain. By establishing the antecedents, types, and consequences of humour, the authors build a framework and propositions to help service researchers uncover the potential of injecting humour into service interactions. Findings – The authors find that using humour in service encounters is an ingenious affiliative behaviour which strengthens rapport between service employees and their customers. Humour also permits frontline service employees to better cope with the emotional challenges of their work, thus promising to reduce emotional labour and increase well-being. The effectiveness of service recovery efforts may also grow if employees use humour successfully to soften unpleasant emotional reactions and accept responsibility. Originality/value – The authors explore cross-disciplinary humour research to apply the findings to the use of humour in service encounters. The authors also attempt to identify situations in which humour usage is most promising or beneficial, as well as its main beneficiaries.

Purpose -This study aims to present the conceptualization and measurement of knowledge generation competence (KGC) as the fundament for firm's internal knowledge generation. Furthermore, it seeks to assess different antecedents of a firm's KGC and its potential for improving a firm's innovativeness. Design/methodology/approach -Data were collected by nationwide mail survey in the German automation and the consulting industry. The final sample consists of 110 respondents (response rate of 32.9 percent). The measurement model was tested by using structural equation modeling applying partial least squares (PLS) estimation. PLS was also used to investigate the relationships between KGC, its antecedents and innovativeness. Findings -The findings support the conceptualization and measurement of knowledge generation competence (KGC). The included dimensions explained 47.6 percent of the variance of knowledge generation competence. Furthermore, most of the relationships included in the research model were supported by the empirical data. Practical implications -The data suggest that firms which want to increase their innovativeness can develop their knowledge generation competence by providing learning orientation culture and investing in human resource practices. Originality/value -The paper aids in uncovering the relationship between organizational learning, human resource practices, knowledge generation competence, and innovativeness of a firm.

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